Varsity to admit 12,000 for 2019/2020 academic session
By Joke Adeniyi-Jackson and Mumini AbdulKareem
Vice Chancellor of the institution Prof Sulyman AbdulKareem has said that Unilorin would admit no fewer than 12,000 candidates for the 2019/2020 academic session.
The VC’s revelation followed the National Universities Commission (NUC) incensement in the existing admission quota allotted the institution initially pegged at 10,900.
According to Prof AbdulKareem, the move was to accommodate huge number of admission seekers in following its status as one of the most south after universities in the country.
Speaking at the annual breaking of fast (Iftar) with journalists in Ilorin, the Vice Chancellor disclosed that his goal was to have limitless admission quota but for NUC and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) regulatory activities.
He said the allocation of admission quota for students was dependent on carrying capacity and facilities on each campus of the universities adding that the main challenge his administration was grappling with was provision of enough classrooms for the increase number of students on campus.
Abdulkareem noted that the university was currently making use of available large lecture theatres to accommodate the students, adding that he had reached out to the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND) for support in building large lecture halls.
“My goal as Vice-Chancellor is to have limitless admission quota but we know that is regulated by NUC, and they usually base that on facilities on campus. I must disclose that for 10 years, I was admission Chairman for University of Ilorin.
“So, I remember many times I carried message to JAMB and NUC to solicit for increase in our quota. Even at that, today the normal quota is 10,900 but they are going to give room for alteration and allow us to admit for a session not more than 12,000 Students.
“Our biggest problem is the 100 Level courses that have large number of students, especially if you look at Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Biology that all 100 Level students must take in very large number.
“Till now, we have been having problem. But lately in this session, what we have been doing is using our big Lecture Theatre, Multipurpose Theatre and having enough chairs. I thought I was doing something new but when I got to London, I was told that this is the classroom of the future. If you go to that multipurpose theatre now, we have brought in enough gadgets to make lecture delivery easy for the lecturers and for the students to learn.
“The issue though is that we cannot go on increasing the number, and I have been soliciting for TETFUND assistance to have large lecture theatres that can accommodate large class size. But they are also advising us that when a class gets too large, it is very difficult for lecturers to monitor”, he submitted.
Speaking on the university’s corporative debt profile, the VC said he inherited N800m adding that his first year was the most challenging in his managerial years thus far.
“When I came onboard, I faced serious financial headache, we were owing over N800m to cooperatives, assessors were denying our people assessment due to payment arrears. I am glad to announce today that Unilorin is totally debt free, we’re not owing anybody a dime. Our staffs have not been able to go for annual leave for a while, we hope we’ll be able to restore that if we’re able to finish second semester on time.
“You can never understand a public seat until you’re sitting on it. With the benefit of hindsight, I am more versed in human management, balancing diversities and the politics in the office”, he added.
